Shoe



, A. THOMA March 22, 1932.

SHOE

Filed Aug. 10 1927 v ive/7257 cirew 2710722@ HMM (OU @E TEP/zeg@ Patented Mar.` 22, 1932' UNITED STATES) PATENT OFFICE ANDREW THoMA, or CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR. 'ro 'NORTH AMERICAN` CHEMICAL COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A -CORPORATIONOF MASSACHU- V sE'rTs SHOE "Application filed August 10, 1927. Serial No. 212,017.

This invention pertains to the manufac ture of slices and especially to shoes having both inner and -outer soles, for example,

shoes of McKay or Goodyear type, the invention relating particularly to a shoe comprising meansinterposed between its inner and outer sole adapted to waterproof the shoe and to prevent squeaking without' sacrifice of flexibility, and to fill the central cavity and all irregularities or crevices in the shoe bottom, thus providing a smooth supporting Surface for engagementrwith the outer` sole and, if desired, uniting ,the inner and outer soles at their marginal portions.

In'my copending application Serial No. 133,506, filed September3, 1926, of which this is a part contin'uatiom'I have disclosed a novel shoe filler layeror piece of coherent self-supporting A character comprising a a sheet-like layer of a shoe-bottom filler of the general type disclosed for example in my .y Vprior Patents No. 808,224, December 26,k

1905; No.832,002, September 25, 1906; No. 861,555, July 30, 1907, and in other patents subsequently granted to me. Such ller compounds are in general stickyand extremely adherent `to leather, permanently elastic, pliable and compressibley when cold, waterproof or water repellent, capable of becoming sluggishly fluid when heated, but being.

quick setting, non-inflammable', heat insulating,A and permanentA and durablewhen confined as a liller within the cavity of a shoe bottom. f

AS pointed out` in Qmy copending application Serial No. 183,302, filed April 13, 1927,

`the prior practice, in applying such filler compounds to the cavity of a shoe, has necessitated the application of heat to the filler.k

compound in order to make it soft and mobile, in which condition it was applied tothe shoe bottom byfspreading r jlling,l etc. In my copending application Serial No.l133,506,

as wellas in my application VSerial No.

183,302,`I have disclosed a method of packaging a normally sticky, plastic (semi-fluid), loose and `non-coherent filler compoundl so as to provide a self-supportingv and'shaperetaining piece or leaf which is coherent@ and normally stift1 yand'y Suitable for applicationv characteristics; .c

cold to a shoe bottom, but which is capable, when subjected at normal temperature to suflicient pressure, of lowingor spreading in any or all directions so as accurately to conform itself to its surroundings. InV my ap-r plication Serial No. 133,506I have described some of the advantages flowing from the use of such improved filler pieces,'in`cluding new and desirable characteristics of the shoein which suoli piece is used, such, for example, as freedom from squeak, flexibility, evenness of sole, resistance to penetrationV by water,

etc.; and iirmy application SerialNo. 183,302

I have more fully vdisclosed and illustrated these and othenfeatures of improvement.

The present application is directed more particularly to afshoe possessing some or all of the above desirable qualities and in its preferred form comprising as an element of itsstructure a Afiller piece or theconstituents proved sheeting self-supportingand coher ent shoe-bottom filler Fig. 2 is a planview illustrating one form of filler leaf which may be made from ythe sheeted material of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 isarperspective view illustrating a {iller leaf of another shape and whichis also 'adapted tobe made from the sheetedmaterial of Fig. 1, or material having the Same general Fig. 4f is a view illustrating other shapes 'of filler piece or leaf 'which may be desirable underV certain circumstances; s

Fig. 5 isy a diagrammatic bottom view of a lshoe of the McKay type, omitting the outerV sole, showing a filler piece positioned in the "tom, omitting the outer sole; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary cross section of a shoe bottom, in which the cover layers of the filler piece are thick.

In Fig. l of the drawings I have shown a preferred form of my sheetedl shoe-bottom filler 1 which may be prepared as more fully disclosed in my copending application Serial ,No 183,302and which consists of a layer 15 of plastic and sticky filler compound` (which i ordinarily comprises asemi-iuid andV very sticky binder and acomminuted solid such as ground cork,) interposed-between protecting and reinforcing or stiffening skins or integuments 11 andlll respectively. As described in my application just referred t these skins or integuments may for example consists of paper or paper-like material, textile fabric, colloidal films, or layers of normally dry and non-adhesive powders artially or completely saturated with the `sticky binder of the filler compound, and the opposite Yskins or integuments may be of like or different character, as desired. Further- 1 more, theseskins may be andpreferably are waterproof or water repellent, and if of paper or textile fabric, the Waterproofing of these skinsmay be accomplished either by l treating them with a Waterproofing solution or substance prior to association With the layer 15 or in their manufacture they may be subjected to pressure (with heat if necessary) sufficient to-cause the binderitself to impregnate the skins, possibly rendering the. outer surfaces of suchskins slightly sticky.

This sheeted material is normally stiff when cold and capable of retaining its shape indefinitely. It is easily handled and may be packed er piled (for shipment, stora e, or as a preliminary step in the cutting of t ie individual filler package) with substantial ly the same facility as sheet materials of ordivnary types except that it may be desirable,

when the outer skins are Waterproofedror slightly sticky due to impregnation with the ,sticky binder, to dust the outer surfaces with aV non-sticky powder to Y Y y prevent "adjacent sheets from adhering. 4

As described in my application Serial No. i 183,302, .this sheet material may `be cut up vinto individualV filler pieces or leaves such as Vindicated atl in Fig.` 2, the cutting being performed by suitable dies, or for the sake of economy and'to avoid Waste in cuttingtas more fullyjdescribed in my application Se- `ably by tearing ofor otherwise removing a ,section (large or small) of one of the s s rial No. 192,076) the material may be cut by means of straight knives into pieces of polyg onal contour such, for example, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the latter figure also showing at the right forms of strip-like pieces. I find that a piece of substantially double trapezoidal contour, as shown at L in Fig. 3, is Well suited for use in filling foreparts of shoes since it conforms roughly to the general shape of the cavity in the shoe bottom.

The piece L', being cut from the she-eted material, consists of an intermediate layer l5 of the plastic and sticky bottom filler interposed between the skins 11 and 14. Prior to applying this to the shoe bottom I prefer to dust or coat one side, for example, the outer surface of thev skin 14, with a slipperynonadhesive substance, as indicated at T in Figs. 3, and 7, This slippery substance preferably consists of an unctuous dry powder such, for example, as a powdered mineral such talc or soapstone,combined, if desired, with a fibrous ororganic substance, for instance, finely divided cork, or dry starch or the `and this powder may be applied either to the individual piece L', or to the shceted material l either during or after the manufacture of the latter and before itis cut up into individual pieces. )Yhile I have mentioned a powder as constituting a suitable slippery or vculti-friction medium, I contemplate that other materials, for example, dry or semifluid films, of suitable character may be substituted for the powder, or anti-squeak materialinsheet form, if this be found preferable.

VHaving provided a piece or layer such as indicated at 31 in Fig. 2 or at L in Fig. 8, I now applyithis'to the bottom `of the slice either by the use o f adhesive, (see my application SerialNo, 211,157 filed August G, 1927 and other applications therein referred to er.- plaining how broad this term is in this connection), which may be applied to the shoe bottom and the pieceor to both, or prefer- 11 or 14 so as to expose a portion of the sticky filler layer or the application may he in any of the Ways explained 1n my copendmg ap plication Serial No. 210,558filed Aug. 4, In F 1g. 2 I have shown a portion of the skin 11 thus removed to expose an area 63 of the `sticky filler, and in Fig. 3 I have indicated in dotted lines the removal of4 a portion of the skinll of the filler piece'L to expose an area, 63a ofthe sticky filler.

Having thus exposed a portion of the filler layer this exposed portion may be applied directly to the outer sole or to the inner sole of ashoe, the mner sole being referred to here i conventi onally` as conforming to the common wayofmaking shoesup to the present, thus causing the piece to adhere firmly in position until the outer sole is applied.

' 'In' Figs. 5-9 I have shown a shoe of McKay Y 5 61') and the inner sole 62, the edge portions of the upper being lastedin or crimped over the marginal Yportion of the bottom of the inner sole as shown at 26, the material of the upper forming plaits or folds `Vwhere it is gathered in over the inner sole and being secured to the latter by a series of fasteners F. The inner ed es of the folded portions 26 of the upper de ne a central cavity 25 which is of irregular contour and which at intervals :5 merges into the crevices or depressions between adjacent folds of the upper. Due to the irregular outlineof this cavity it has been extremely difficult heretofore properlyto'fill rshoes of this type by means of the fillers previously available, such, for example, as felt, tarred paper., etc,

My present filler piece possesses characteristics wholly unlike the above class in that it is plastic,'compressible when cold, and of a pad-like consistency so that when compressed it spreads freely in the direction of least ren sistance. Thus, as shown inFigs. 8 and 9, when such a piece is. subjected to pressure between flat surfaces such as the two soles, the layer 15 of filler material exudes from between the edges of the skins 11 and 14, as

shown at 15a, forming a plastic and adhesive Vmargin surrounding said skins and that portion of the filler layer which still remains between the skins 11 and 14. Owing to this e peculiar characteristic of my filler piece it is y capable, when applied to the irregular surface of a shoe bottom, of, conforming itself to the irregularities and of providing a smooth and uniform surface for support of the outer sole. n

The piece may be ksecured to the inner sole of the shoe by means of any liquid that will cooperate with the sole or cavity in causing the piecev to adhere or stayplaced temporarily, or by means of the sticky filler material itself and, if desired, I may, as shown at 64 in Fig. 2, slit one of the skins, for example the skin 11, before applying lit'to the sole soV that when subjected to pressure the slits will widen and permit some of the sticky filler to engage the surface of theV shoe sole sufficient for adhering purposes and also as an anti-squeak as will be presently explained. Obviously both skins might be slitted in this manner so that the filler piece would adhere soles.

In applying the filler piece to the shoe bottom it is not essential that it conform with any degree of exa-ctitude to the cavity ,and

ordinarily some parts of the piece, as indi# cated at 26a in'Fig. 5, Vmay overlap thefol-ded edges 26 of the upper. The parts thus asthinner or less strong than usual.

sembled occupy a position such -as indicated,

for example, in Fig. 6.

With the parts all assembled, as shown in Y Fig. 7 the` sole 29 is secured to the other'shoev f parts by suitable fasteners such as the stitches 80, but, as will be understood, with the filler piece not yet spread nor the shoe bottom lev-Y eled. After the outer sole has been attached,

the shoe is then subjected to the usual leveling operation during which a very high rpressure is applied to the outer sole, for example,

' a pressure ofthe order of several tons.

By reason of the plastic pad-like'character of the filler piece the latter decreases in thick-1 ity of the shoe bottom `and pressing out into all of thecrevices and interstices between the folds of the upper or between the upper or the inner sole and the outer sole'.V Due to the Vfact that the nal spreading and positioning of the filler iseffected after the sole is fastened` in its final position and due also to the filler pie-ce structure, the' filler is spread tight` against the edges and plaits of the upper and isI forced into a waterproofing intimacy and crevice closing, smoothness and compactness heretofore impossible. This constitutesr one of the readily distinctive and recognizable features of a shoe made to embody my invention so far as this feature is concerned.

As this' patent is on the article and not vthe method of manufacture, I amusing for this purpose of description or explanation the old method as heretofore followed in making McKay shoes, and will simply ico refer to my copending application Serial No. 210,558 filed Augustv 4, 1927 yand others therein referred to for my new and preferred method, which therefore Ir will not further refer to. As above described I coat one surface, in the present inindicated at T. The central portion of the outer sole is thus free from connection to the filler piece or such remnants of the pieceas may remain after the leveling operation, permitting relative movement or slight slipping of the outer sole with reference to the filler so that the flexibility of the shoe is not interfered with. On the other hand, the sticky Iillerwhich exudes from between the top and to the central parts vof both inner and outer Y bottom skins of the piece adheres firmly to Vinner sole and to the folded portionsof the upper' thereby' securing themv all. firmly'together, substantially as on-e unit. By reason ofv this firm union of the parts itis possible, if desired, to employ an inner sole which is Moreover the bottom skin constitutes a protector against the common4 staining of the sock through the tack hole at the ball of the shoebottom. In making a McKay shoe, the 'innersole is Aalways fastened on the last by a tack at the ball and another at the heel (removed after the upper has been brought over and crimped around the edges of said innersole), and one of the serious objections to a McKay shoe has been the tendency to soil the foot or sock through the said tack hole at or near the ball ofthe forepart. The skin 11 covers and closes said tack-hole and in connection with the fact that the sticky element `of the piece in the layerl is kept by said skin out of all possible access to said tack-.hole and is spread by the pressure into adherent enclosing engagement Withthe innersole all around and beyond said skin, constitutes a complete, neat protector of or closure for said tack-hole.

The outward flow of the sticky filler into the crevices between the outer sole and the upper unites these parts so that there issubstantially no possibility of squealring, and, on the other hand, the layer T of slippery anti-friction material between the center of the outer sole and the filler piece efl'ectually prevents such rubbing of these parts as would cause a squeak.

As the plastic filler material-is of a Waterproof or Water repellent character and as it is squeezed out between the folds of the upper, it constitutes an effective barrier against the entrance of Water between the outer sole and adjacentrparts of the shoe. vMoreover since it fills all ofthe crevices and spaces between the folds of the upper it produces a smooth and level surface for contact with the inner face of the outer sole so that the latter is uniformly supported over theA entire area of the shoe bottom, providing for maximum comfort andV durability. The filler layer is plastic in the sense of being spreadable and the term plastic is used in that sense in the claims, Y

While the present` invention has been described vvith particular reference to a Mc- Kay shoe, it is obvious that the filler here .described is equally applicable to a Welt shoe. In such a shoe the ller piece would occupy the space defined by the in-seam,and in applying this piece to a Welt shoe no more care would be necessary `,thaninapplying it to a McKay shoe. Any portions of the filler piece which project over the iii-seam are compressed during the leveling operation and flow in the direction of least resistance so that no difficulty from ridges or bunches on vthe outer sole is experienced. All this detheright of Fig. Il.V In any case, the cover or xemacs skin, Whatever its shape or predetermined extent vtends to prevent bunching of the filler layer.

During the leveling operation the piece becomes thinner at its central part, due to the convexity of the inner sole, (then on the last), so that the skins 11 and 14 approach each other at the` central part of the shoe bottom, sometimes coming substantially into contact. If the skins be of relatively Weak material or if they be slitted as indicated in Fig. 2, the Skins may burst or spread, leaving only fragmentary portions of the skins intermingled With the plastic filler. Or the plastic binder exudes through the slits and 4fastens the parts, While also constituting one form of anti-squeak construction. In either case the skins or the remnants thereof, being of predetermined area, substantially non-plastic and preferably inextensible asiV compared with the plastic filler, and being disposed in the narrow space at the central portion of the shoe bottom, constitute barriers which choke or Vblock the passage from one side of the shoe to the other. Thus even though the shoe bottom be subjected subsequently to forces tending to shift the filler, the filler meets opposition to movement by reason of the original skins 11, 14.

For convenience in description and illus` tration I have described my filler as applied to a shoe havinr certain definite structural characteristics, For example, an upper comprising a lining, independent fasteners for uniting the upper to 4the inner sole, and stitches for .uniting the outer sole to the inner sole,.but I Wish it to be understood that my invention is not in any Way limited to any particular shoe, but that it may be embodied in shoes varying in these particulars A or in others from the shoe herein illustrated and further that the invention is not necessarilylimited to the employment of the particular filler above referred to or to the proportions ofthe particular filler piece above referred to or to the proportions of parts here shown, but that the invention boadly embraces a shoe or equivalent article offoot- Wear possessing the characteristics and construction set forth in the accompanying claims.

Generic claims for the filler leaf or piece shown herein are made in my copending application Serial No. 297,630, filed August 6, 1928.

I claim:

1. A shoe, having an outer sole andan in ner `sole with an` interposed filler layer having an non-adherent part and an adherent part, said adherent part holding said two Asoles and the contiguous part of theshoe together asaunit by adhesion.

2. A.. Shoe, having aV bottom including a bottom cavity'vvith at least a portion filled Withy reinforcing material of predetermined 130 area and the rest of the cavity filled with moldable filler molded to lit said rest of the cavity, the reinforcing material lying wholly within the boundaries of the molded filler.

3. A shoe, having a bottom including a bottom cavity containing a plastic layer and central mea-ns reinforcing the central portion only of said layer.

A. A shoe, having a bottom including a bottom cavity containing a layer having a relatively stiff central portion and a plastic margin.

5. A shoe, having a bottom cavity iilled by a multipart filler, onepart having a predetermined area less than the cavity and another part consisting of moldable filler material having a shape corresponding to and determin-ed by the shape and the requirements of the cavity, the part having a predetermined area lying wholly within the boundaries of the other part.y

6. A shoe, having a bottom cavity filled by a multipart filler, one part having a predetermined area less than the cavity and another part consisting of moldable filler material having a shape and area governed as to its outer boundary by the rim of the cavity and said two parts mutually positioning each other to form a iixed bottom support.

7. A shoe, having a bottom including a bottom cavity containing a layer having a relatively stili central portion and a plastic marginal portion adherently stuck to the central portion. i

8. A shoe, having a bottom comprising an inner sole, an outer sole, and a layer interposed between said soles-having on the same side thereof a relatively non-stickyportion and a sticky portion. 'v

9. A shoe, having a bottom comprising an inner sole, an outer sole, and a layer interposed between said soles having on the same side thereof a relatively non-adhesive central portion and a sticky marginal portion.

10. A shoe, having a bottom comprising a layer of plastic material, and means reinforcing the central portion of said layer, the plastic material extending outwardly beyond the reinforcing means.

11. A shoe, having a bottom comprising a sole and a layer of material having on the same side thereof a substantially non-adhesive central portion and a sticky marginal portion, of which at least the marginal portion adheres to the sole.

12. A shoe, havinga bottom comprising a sole and a layer of plastic material, the marginal portion of said plastic layer being secured to the sole and its central portion on the same side being unattached to the sole.

13. A shoe, having a bottom comprising an outer sole and` inner sole shaped to form between them a bottom cavity, and an intervening layer of material in said cavity having a marginal portion adhering to one of said soles, and means onthe same side of said lay- `er interposed between the central portion of said layer and the outer sole to prevent squeaking.

14. A shoe, having a bottom comprising an outer sole and an inner sole and an upper, shaped to form between them a bottom cavity, a layer of sticky material interposed in said cavity between the soles, said layer at l least at its marginal portion adhering to one of said soles, and means on the same side of said layer preventing said layer from adhering to the central part at least of one of said soles to prevent squeaking.

15. A shoe, having a tack-hole in the forepart of the inner sole and a bottom compris-v Ying an outer` sole and inner sole, and a layer of plastic material comprising a comminuted solid and a sticky binder, and a skin interposed between the sole and a part at least of the plastic layer, and a slippery substance interposed between said skin and the adjacent Y ing of slippery powder adhering to the skiny and preventing the latter from sticking to the adjacent sole.

17. A shoe, having an inner sole and an outer sole, a layer of normally plastic material interposed between said soles, and centrally disposed means tending to oppose bunching of said plastic layer.

18. A shoe, having an inner sole and an outer sole, a layer of normally plast-ic material interposed between said soles, and a non-plastic substance engaging the central portion of said plastic layer and opposing bunching of the latter.

19. A McKay shoe having a tack-hole in the forepart of the inner sole and a bottom filler of the kind containing a plastic and sticky ingredient in its bottom cavity, provided with means in connection with said filler for closing the forepart tack-hole against thekentrance of material liable to stain the soc 20. A McKay shoe having plastic filler in its bottom cavity and having the cavity surface of the innersole covered by an impervious protector over the central region of the forepart in such position and relation as to protect the foot or sock of the wearer against soil or stain through the innersole at said central region.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 9th day of August, 1927.

ANDREW THOMA. 

